A stream is a complex ecosystem in which numerous biological, physical, and chemical processes interact. Changes in any one characteristic or process have cascading effects throughout the system and result in changes to many aspects of the system. Often several factors can combine to cause profound changes. For example, increased nutrient loads alone might not cause a change to a forested stream. But, when combined with tree removal and channel widening, the result is to shift the energy dynamics from an aquatic biological community based on leaf litter inputs to one based on algae and macrophytes. The resulting chemical changes caused by algal photosynthesis and respiration and elevated temperatures may further contribute to a completely different biological community.
Many stream processes are in a delicate, dynamic balance. For example, stream power, sediment load, and channel roughness must balance. Hydrologic changes that increase stream power, if not balanced by greater channel complexity and roughness, result in “hungry” water that erodes banks or the stream bottom. Increases in sediment load beyond the transport capacity of the stream leads to deposition, lateral channel movement into stream banks, and channel widening.
Structural complexity may be provided by trees fallen into the channel, overhanging branches, roots extending into the flow, pools and riffles, overhanging vegetation, and a variety of bottom materials. Most systems would benefit from increased complexity and diversity in physical structure, as that complexity enhances habitat for organisms, as well as restores hydrologic properties that often are lost to physical, biological and/or chemical changes in the system.
For example, chemical pollution is a factor in many streams. The major categories of chemical pollutants are oxygen depleting substances such as manure, ammonia and organic wastes; the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorous; acids, such as those produced in mining and industrial activities; and toxic materials, such as pesticides, and salts or metals contained in some drain water. Increasing the complexity of the problem is the fact that the effects of many chemicals depend on several factors. For example, an increase in the pH caused by excessive algal and aquatic plant growth may cause an otherwise safe pre-existing concentration of phosphorous to become toxic. This result occurs due to the fact that the equilibrium concentrations of non-toxic ammonium ion and toxic unionized ammonia are pH-dependent.
Further, streams and flood plains need to operate as a connected system. Periodic flooding is generally necessary to maintain the flood plain biological community and to relieve the erosive force of flood discharges by reducing the velocity of the water. Flooding and bankfull flows are also essential for maintaining the instream physical structure. These flood events scour out pools, clean coarser substrates (such as gravel, cobbles, and boulders) of fine sediment, and redistribute woody debris.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method, computer program product and system for assessing aquatic environments, by assessing various characteristics thereof, and producing a report of same containing recommendations for elimination and mitigation of detrimental changes, trends and characteristics in the aquatic environment, as well as recommendations for improvement of the aquatic environment so as to create an environment having a healthy biological, physical and chemical equilibrium.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method, computer program product and system for assessing aquatic environments, by assessing various characteristics thereof, and producing a water resource inventory report, i.e., a report of the quality and variety of streams or rivers within a watershed, whether and how they are used, misused, or threatened with misuse, or being altered by natural or human causes. This water resource inventory report can be used to evaluate and determine recommended actions for improvement of the aquatic environment so as to create an environment having a healthy biological, physical and chemical equilibrium.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method, computer program product and system for assessing an aquatic environment, by assessing various characteristics thereof, and producing a permit application report based on said assessment in which characteristics of the aquatic environment are compared to permit limitations and requirements, in which an evaluation is performed and report produced notifying a user as to whether certain the aquatic marine environment is in compliance with permits pertaining to same and, alternatively, whether proposed activities/characteristics will affect compliance.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method, computer program product and system for assessing an aquatic environment, wherein various characteristics of the aquatic environment are assessed at an initial time, the various characteristics are then assessed at one or more later times, changes in the characteristics computed, and a trend monitoring report produced providing data as to what characteristics of the aquatic environment have and are changing over time, the possible causes there for, and possible actions to take in response to said changes.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a method, computer program product and system for assessing an aquatic environment, wherein various characteristics and conditions of various regions of the aquatic environment are assessed, and a stream inventory report is produced, comparing conditions and characteristics of each assessed region. In addition, it is an object to provide said method, computer program product and system with the additional ability of producing a reference stream inventory report, wherein previous stream inventory report data may be accessed and compiled to produce a reference stream data report. The data therein may be used as a comparison against later stream inventory assessments.